Concert Reviews 2015
Concert Review - 28 March 2015
On this showing at the Church of St Cross, Winchester, on Saturday 28th March, I can confidently say that Romsey Choral Society is the most accomplished choral society that I have heard. The overall sound was warm and engaging, intonation and the diction were first class, and the attention to detail most impressive. Much of the credit must go to the Music Director and Conductor, Jamie W. Hall, but such qualities cannot be achieved without the hard work and dedication of the singers. It was a superb performance of great choral works.
Music of six centuries was performed and, clearly, great care went into the order of presentation to allow the characteristics of each work to shine forth. The reflective hymn-like confidence of the opening First Dirge Anthem by Morley, which the choir sang with sinuous flexibility, was immediately followed by Poulenc’s Timor et Tremor. The choir handled this change of style, with its rapid dynamic and tempo changes, very effectively. Similarly, the Purcell anthem which followed, Man that is born of a woman, complemented the Poulenc motet. The textures were clear and the ensemble accurate and well balanced.
Equally flexible and assured was McMillan’s O Radiant Dawn, the most modern work of the evening. The men, in particular, were impressive in this. In J.S. Bach’s Komm, Jesu, Komm, the central counterpoint was taken at a vigorous pace, but was confidently sung with clear lines and great accuracy, a particular challenge for the upper voices. The choir was similarly confident in Charpentier’s De Profundis, beautifully expressing the text, and in Brahms’s Geistliches Lied, where the organ came to the fore. Played by Richard Copeland, the solo sections and the accompaniments were finely judged and executed.
In the main work of the evening, the Officium Defunctorum (Office for the Dead) by Victoria, the dynamic control and the balance between the voices were both excellent. In particular, I would praise the first Kyrie, which was reflective yet always with a strong sense of forward movement, and the choral passages of the Agnus Dei and Libera me. Soloist Kath Tilling, in the final section of the Offertory, gave a clear and excellent account of this rather demanding passage of plainchant.
The concert ended with Immortal Bach by Knut Nystedt, based on J.S. Bach’s Komm, süsser Tod. The choir divided into three groups, spaced around the church; the effect was mesmerising and suggestive of eternal peace, a wonderful conclusion to a very memorable concert.
Review by Thomas More Hagger
On this showing at the Church of St Cross, Winchester, on Saturday 28th March, I can confidently say that Romsey Choral Society is the most accomplished choral society that I have heard. The overall sound was warm and engaging, intonation and the diction were first class, and the attention to detail most impressive. Much of the credit must go to the Music Director and Conductor, Jamie W. Hall, but such qualities cannot be achieved without the hard work and dedication of the singers. It was a superb performance of great choral works.
Music of six centuries was performed and, clearly, great care went into the order of presentation to allow the characteristics of each work to shine forth. The reflective hymn-like confidence of the opening First Dirge Anthem by Morley, which the choir sang with sinuous flexibility, was immediately followed by Poulenc’s Timor et Tremor. The choir handled this change of style, with its rapid dynamic and tempo changes, very effectively. Similarly, the Purcell anthem which followed, Man that is born of a woman, complemented the Poulenc motet. The textures were clear and the ensemble accurate and well balanced.
Equally flexible and assured was McMillan’s O Radiant Dawn, the most modern work of the evening. The men, in particular, were impressive in this. In J.S. Bach’s Komm, Jesu, Komm, the central counterpoint was taken at a vigorous pace, but was confidently sung with clear lines and great accuracy, a particular challenge for the upper voices. The choir was similarly confident in Charpentier’s De Profundis, beautifully expressing the text, and in Brahms’s Geistliches Lied, where the organ came to the fore. Played by Richard Copeland, the solo sections and the accompaniments were finely judged and executed.
In the main work of the evening, the Officium Defunctorum (Office for the Dead) by Victoria, the dynamic control and the balance between the voices were both excellent. In particular, I would praise the first Kyrie, which was reflective yet always with a strong sense of forward movement, and the choral passages of the Agnus Dei and Libera me. Soloist Kath Tilling, in the final section of the Offertory, gave a clear and excellent account of this rather demanding passage of plainchant.
The concert ended with Immortal Bach by Knut Nystedt, based on J.S. Bach’s Komm, süsser Tod. The choir divided into three groups, spaced around the church; the effect was mesmerising and suggestive of eternal peace, a wonderful conclusion to a very memorable concert.
Review by Thomas More Hagger
Concert Review - 11 July 2015
Romsey was in celebratory mood on Saturday evening. The Beggars Fair and good weather provided a lively atmosphere as a sizeable audience made its way to the Abbey for an evening of toe-tapping twentieth century British music. Romsey Choral Society (RCS) had invited the City of Southampton Orchestra and mezzo-soprano Janet Shell to present a 70th birthday tribute to composer John Rutter, well-known for his Christmas carols but also a fine exponent of American light music and spiritual music of the Deep South. The programme gave us a taste of the variety and breadth of Rutter’s expertise, from tranquil orchestral Meditations, which showcased the harmonic interplay between strings and wind instruments, to the technically challenging and syncopated rhythms of his Gloria. RCS was at its most confident here, delivering a lively first and third section interspersed smoothly by the wonderfully legato Domine Deus. Musical Director Jamie W. Hall is just 18 months into his tenure as Musical Director for RCS, but in that short period has given the choir a confidence and impetus, which shone through in the post-interval Spirituals. Hearing the choir sing a cappella made the local audience sit up straighter; how many small market towns have a choir of such talent and versatility? RCS did not disappoint, using their in-house soloists to provide evocative and haunting cries of musical longing. Rutter’s Feel the Spirit introduced Janet Shell as soloist, a much-loved favourite of the Abbey. This was a superb partnership of soloist, choir and orchestra delivering seven Spirituals ranging from the moving and sustained depth of Deep River to the well known rousing finale of ‘When the saints go marching in’. The whole ensemble worked together well with every section well balanced and obviously enjoying themselves hugely. A great summer concert, and we wish RCS well as they switch mood for the magnificent Bach B Minor Mass to be performed on 7th November 2015. Review by Lynne Smith |
Concert Review - 7 November 2015
The Abbey was filled to capacity on November 7th for Romsey Choral Society’s performance of Bach’s Mass in B Minor. The performance was attended by Lady Brabourne, the Society’s President; the Revd. Canon Tim Sledge, their Vice-President; The Mayors of Test Valley and Romsey and other dignitaries and sponsors. The genesis of this work took place in 1733 when Bach completed the Kyrie and Gloria. He presented this short Missa to the new Elector of Saxony. It was another twelve years before Bach returned to his Lutheran short mass and transformed it into the complete Mass with a Catholic text in Latin. Gardiner notes in his magisterial volume on Bach: “Music in the Castle of Heaven”, that unlike previous interpreters of this text, Bach’s setting explores, “human doubts and tussles of faith.” It is more than a simple restatement of belief. It is an exploration of what it means to maintain belief whilst enduring the human condition. The performance was carried along by the conductor’s vision for this work. He very skilfully paced the movements so that despite the tremendous stamina required from the choir, they were still singing lustily in the last movement. I particularly enjoyed his consideration of the space between movements. At times he gave the audience and choir a short period of reflection on what had just been performed and at other times he moved swiftly on. At all times keeping up the strong sense of direction needed to make the performance of this work an integrated whole. A great many of the movements have a fugal texture and Jamie W. Hall ensured that in these movements we heard each entry clearly and no one voice dominated more than another. The basses and tenors deserve special mention as they were quite exposed in this work. Their entries were confident and strong. The work opens dramatically, with the voices coming in without orchestral introduction and with a commanding dotted rhythm. The benighted sinner is calling on God for his mercy. The work traverses many different styles and moods. The choir rose to the challenge of the fast, robust dances in choruses such as Cum Sancto Spiritu and the Et Resurrexit. The devotional choruses, Qui Tollis and Crucifixus would have benefited perhaps from a more hushed, intense delivery. The performance was greatly enhanced by the splendid baroque orchestra: Charivari Agréable. They sensitively accompanied both the choir and soloists. It was noticeable how well the voices of the excellent young soloists matched the soft grained sound of the baroque instruments. The Soprano, Zoe Brown and the Alto, Eleanor Minney excelled in their performance of the mellifluous duet: Et in Unum Dominum. Eleanor gave a beautiful rendition of the air: Qui Sedes ad Dexteram, shaping and colouring Bach’s long orchestral lines with skill and musicality. Another highlight was the tenor (William Blake) and soprano duet: Domine Deus. The bass (Oliver Hunt) blossomed in his second aria: Et in Spiritum Sanctum, his voice perfectly complimented by the oboe d’amore that accompanied him. The beautiful setting of Romsey Abbey greatly enhanced the enjoyment of Bach’s masterpiece. The audience showed their appreciation through prolonged and enthusiastic applause. Review by Carol Bishop |